The 15 Best Musical Reissues of 2012

For some reason, the end-of-year listomania is starting early this year — the Guardian has begun its best-of-2012 list already, and we’re sure others will soon be following suit. In the spirit of getting onto getting onto such things ahead of time, then, we thought we’d commence our own end-of-year listing this week with a look at the best of reissues of 2012. In any case, it seems an appropriate time to be looking at reissues, because this month sees the (re-)release of Massive Attack’s classic 1991 debut Blue Lines, an album which we’re very excited to be able to get on nice heavy vinyl. So her are our picks of other reissues we hope you were laying your hands on during 2012. As ever, we’d be interested to hear your additions in the comments section.

There are records that really don’t need a whole lot of remastering, and this is one of them — but if nothing else, this reissue is a chance to own one of the great albums of the 1990s on swanky 180-gram vinyl. Two decades on, the title track, in particular, remains a thing of wonder — a masterpiece of tension and restraint, and a signature example of how to use space and silence in a song — but the whole thing is great. If you don’t own it already, shame on you — but still, go out and grab the reissue forthwith.